In this powerful and deeply personal episode of Walk and Roll Live, Doug and Addie welcome Avriel, a former railroad executive whose life took an unexpected turn following a back surgery that resulted in a T5 spinal cord injury.

Avriel takes us back to his roots—growing up in Charleston, moving to Atlanta as a teen, and taking a bold leap to New York City at just 18 years old to work on the trading floor of the New York Mercantile Exchange. After finding his footing, he built an impressive 16-year career with Norfolk Southern, rising through the ranks to become a Terminal Superintendent and leading teams in one of the most demanding field-management environments in the railroad industry.

In 2022, everything changed. Following surgery, Avriel experienced paralysis for several months and began a long, grueling road of recovery and rehabilitation. He shares candidly about the fear, uncertainty, and determination that carried him through months of intensive physical therapy as function slowly returned.

Forced to step away from field leadership, Avriel redefined his professional identity, transitioning into a headquarters role focused on Network Design and Optimization—bringing new perspective, empathy, and problem-solving skills shaped by lived experience.

Beyond career and recovery, Avriel opens up about rediscovering photography, a first love that became a source of healing, expression, and connection. Through the lens, he now captures organic moments and helps others see themselves—and their stories—more clearly.

This episode is an honest conversation about resilience, identity, disability, creativity, and finding purpose after trauma. It’s a must-listen for anyone navigating life-altering change, spinal cord injury recovery, or the challenge of rebuilding after the unexpected. Walk and Roll Live

In this powerful episode of Walk and Roll Live – Disability Stories, host Doug Vincent welcomes Mike Kent, a stroke survivor whose life changed in an instant after a routine surgery in Paris went catastrophically wrong.

What was meant to be a simple nose operation in 2019 resulted in a massive hemorrhagic stroke, an induced coma, and doctors giving Mike just 90 minutes to live. Eight weeks later, he woke up unable to move the right side of his body, unable to recognize his own life, and uncertain whether he wanted to go on.

Spending six months in a wheelchair, Mike began the slow, painful, and deeply human process of rebuilding—learning to walk again, write again, think again, and ultimately believe again.

Today, Mike helps disabled professionals break free from anxiety and reclaim their sense of purpose after medical trauma. In this raw and honest conversation, he shares the emotional realities of stroke recovery, identity loss, mental health, and what it truly means to rebuild a life from the inside out.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone navigating disability, recovery, medical trauma, or searching for hope without sugarcoating the journey. Walk and Roll Live

Diagnosed with Transverse Myelitis at just 10 months old, RaeAnne Lindsay has spent her life navigating disability — and transforming that lived experience into powerful advocacy.

In this episode of Walk and Roll Live, host Doug Vincent sits down with Ms. Wheelchair USA 2024 to explore her remarkable journey: from nearly 18 years of childhood rehab, surgeries, and summer camps at Shriners Hospital in Chicago, to earning her Master’s in Social Work, and now serving as a Research Coordinator at Vanderbilt University, focusing on Section 504 plans and accessible housing.

RaeAnne opens up about the promise she made to herself as a child — that no disabled kid should ever have to endure the trauma she experienced — and how that promise fuels her advocacy today. We dive into her national platform, “Inclusive Playgrounds Are for Everyone,” what true inclusion looks like, and the emotional moments that affirmed her mission was making a real difference.

This conversation also explores disability representation, leadership, pageantry, healing through advocacy, and why visibility matters — especially for disabled children who are still learning what’s possible.

Whether you’re a parent, educator, policymaker, advocate, or someone early in your own disability journey, this episode is filled with insight, heart, and hope. Walk and Roll Live

As we close out 2025, Walk and Roll Live – Disability Stories takes a moment to reflect on the conversations that moved us, challenged us, and inspired us throughout the year.

In this special year-end wrap-up episode, host Doug Vincent revisits powerful stories from guests who shared their lived experiences with disability — stories of survival, resilience, self-advocacy, and transformation. From navigating life after injury or diagnosis, to breaking down barriers, educating others, and redefining independence, these conversations remind us that disability is not the end of the journey — it’s often the beginning of a new one.

This episode highlights memorable guests including Rebeca Valenzuela, Walt Escamilla, Ryan Chavarria, Robert Soto, Donald Allison, Anna Keibler, Kat, Bob Millsap, Willie Stewart, Carl Vereen, and voices from the adaptive sports and Paralympic community.

We also look ahead to 2026, where Walk and Roll Live will continue amplifying diverse disability voices, exploring real-life transitions, sharing advocacy tools, and fostering understanding across the full disability spectrum — including visible and invisible disabilities.

Whether you’re living with a disability, supporting someone who is, or simply seeking authentic human stories, this episode celebrates where we’ve been — and where we’re rolling next. Walk and Roll Live

On this episode of Walk and Roll Live – Disability Stories, hosts Doug Vincent and Addie Rich welcome author and mental health advocate Anna Keibler for a powerful and honest conversation about living with mental illness as a disability.

Anna shares her journey with bipolar disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder, including a moment of crisis that led her to seek emergency psychiatric care and ultimately change the course of her life. She speaks openly about the realities of parenting while managing serious mental illness, the stigma surrounding mental health disabilities, and the courage it takes to ask for help.

Her time in treatment became the catalyst for her writing career, leading to multiple published books and international recognition. What began as survival has become purpose—writing a legacy for her children and using her voice to help others feel less alone.

Walk and Roll Live

This episode is a meaningful conversation about mental health, disability, resilience, and the power of choosing life.

In this powerful episode of Walk and Roll Live – Disability Stories, Doug Vincent and Addie Rich sit down with U.S. Army veteran Daniel Palacios, whose life changed forever after a tragic motorcycle accident left him paralyzed at the T5–T6 level.

Daniel takes us through his journey—from serving his country at Fort Bliss, to navigating loss and a life-altering injury, to rebuilding his world through the support of family, the Long Beach VA community, and fellow veterans.

Today, Daniel channels his strength and experience into service. Through organizations like PVA and the Triumph Foundation, he dedicates himself to supporting newly injured veterans, ensuring no one faces their recovery alone.

Join us as Daniel shares his honesty, resilience, camaraderie, and his mission to uplift others walking a similar path. Walk and Roll Live

In this powerful and deeply personal episode of Walk and Roll Live – Disability Stories, hosts Doug Vincent and Addie Rich sit down with Donald Allison, who shares his lifelong journey from growing up in Fontana, California, to living today in Yucca Valley near Joshua Tree National Monument.

Donald opens up about the early signs of a rare and progressive muscle disease called Inclusion Body Myositis (IBM)—a condition that first affected his hands, then his mobility, and ultimately placed him in a wheelchair. Diagnosed at the Mayo Clinic, Donald explains what it’s like to live with constant muscle weakness, chronic pain, immune system complications, and the everyday challenges of personal care and independence.

He also pays tribute to the pivotal role his mother played in his life, including the legacy she left behind to ensure he could continue living safely in his home after her passing in 2021.

This episode is a raw, honest, and educational look at life with a rare neuromuscular condition, filled with resilience, vulnerability, and the power of family and adaptability. Walk and Roll Live

In this powerful episode of Walk and Roll Live – Disability Stories, Doug Vincent and Addie Rich sit down with Chris Pecson from Reno, Nevada, whose life changed in 2015 after a devastating street bike accident left him with a complete T-6 spinal cord injury. Chris opens up about the day of the crash, the realities of early rehabilitation, and the powerful mindset shifts that helped him move forward.

Now working as a part-time delivery driver and preparing to start college in 2026 as a computer science major, Chris shares how he rebuilt his independence, discovered new passions, and found purpose beyond the injury. His story is one of resilience, growth, and the courage to chart a new future.

Whether you're part of the disability community, a supporter, or someone needing a reminder that life can be rebuilt after unexpected change, Chris’s journey will leave you inspired and hopeful. Walk and Roll Live